"PANAMA” (VAN HALEN)

The Song That Toppled a Dictator
Sometimes music moves people. And sometimes it moves them out of hiding. 

In December 1989, the United States invaded Panama after dictator Manuel

 Noriega was publicly exposed as a drug czar. Noriega took refuge in the

 embassy of the Vatican on December 24, and American troops

 immediately surrounded the compound. To smoke him out without 

bombing the place, soldiers of the U.S. Southern Command Network 

Radio turned to Van Halen.

Loudspeakers were set up around the compound and the sonic blasting

 began. After 10 days of being assaulted by the rock group’s “Panama”

 and other songs at high decibel levels, Noriega decided that he’d rather 

be behind bars, and on January 3, 1990, he surrendered. He was convicted

on eight counts of drug trafficking, racketeering, and money 

laundering—all because he couldn’t handle a few power chords.

Incidentally, the song isn’t even about the Central American country. 

Legend has it that it’s about lead singer David Lee Roth’s station wagon.

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